Therefore the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, says this:
“There shall be wailing in all streets,
And they shall say in all the highways,
‘Alas! Alas!’
They shall call the farmer to mourning,
And skillful lamenters to wailing.
In all vineyards there shall be wailing,
For I will pass through you,”
Says the LORD.
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!
For what good is the day of the LORD to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.
It will be as though a man fled from a lion,
And a bear met him!
Or as though he went into the house,
Leaned his hand on the wall,
And a serpent bit him!
Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light?
Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?
“I hate, I despise your feast days,
And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.
Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
But let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream.
‘Comment: ‘You think that you can escape me?’ God says to them. The country from the smallest farm to the biggest vintner’s wine booth and throughout the city streets shall be deafened by serious mourning. People will be pleading for God to come onto the scene without realizing what horror that will be – escaping a lion to be fronted by an angry bear – only to get away and rest your hand on a venomous viper!
‘No matter how you try to placate Me with sacrifices and tasty morsel offerings – nothing but nothing will please Me, until you let justice and righteousness tumble over each other as you become just and good!’ And that is God speaking! How do things compare these days???
Prayer: Help me to stop running and start listening, O Lord!
As I read it! 